Karmay, "The
Ordinance
of Lha Bla-ma Ye-shes 'od" in TSHR, pp.
Dudjom Rinpoche - Fundamentals and History of the Nyingmapa
eternalIs.
tIc
extremists, which is said to have twenty aspects. Mlpham Rm-
poche, grub-mtha'i mdzod bsdus-pa, p. 71; and S. CollIns, Selfless Per-
FUNDAMENTALS: PART FOUR
sons, pp. 118-19.
On Ngok Loden Sherap, refer to Blue Annals, pp. 328ff.
Tib. ma bral-bas. The text wrongly reads bral-bas. .
.
234 235
236 237
238
It is the bodhisattva vehicle, among the causal vehicles of dialectics which is also known as the vehicle of transcendental perfection. ' The unsurpassed vehicle of the tantras in general is here contrasted with the higher view of the tantras belonging to the vehicle of skilful
means. and suffering" (rnam-par byang-ba-dang sdug-bsngal) refer respectIvely to the last two and the first two sublime truths.
The mal). <;lala of seals (phyag-rgya'i dkyil-'khor) refers to the seals of the deity's body, speech and mind.
! he abi. ding nature of inconceivable reality is held to be vast because
contams manifold skilful means, and profound because it is essen- tIally discriminative awareness and emptiness.
Refer, e. g. , to ]amgon Kongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab mdzod, Vol. 2, pp. 656-82; and to. Mipham Rinpoche, spyi-don 'od-gsal snying-po, pp. 146-8. The vehIcle of indestructible reality employs a series of four empowerments which enable one's awareness of pure enlightened
The text ascribes this treatise to Nagarjuna, although m
ofthe Peking edn. , Vol. 83, p. 90, 5. 5, it clearly states that VImalamltra
entrusted it to Nyak Jfianakumara in Pheny? l. . .
The theory of atomism developed in the school was
sively rejected by the Vijfianavada, and by the
tika. See M. Kapstein "Mereological ConsIderatIons m Vasubandhu s
'Proof of Idealism'" in Reason's Traces. .
Refer to the Glossary of Enumerations under ezght vows of the
. fi" h
These are referred to in the Glossary of EnumeratIons under zve, ezg t,
. .
224 225
226 227
228
229
230
231
232
233
See below, p. 229.
This is a meditative experience occurring on the path of connection
See below, p. 236; also Longcenpa, Treasury ofSpin"tual and Phzlosophical Systems, pp. 142-6.
I. e. they are superior to the pious attendants.
Although the ignorance which gives rise to the three poisons is reversed by the buddhas, the subject is not yet realised to be empty of the three mterrelated aspects of ignorance. Refer to p. 54.
These first four paths are identical to the four paths oflearning outlined above p . . 175, namely, the paths of provision, connection, insight The three paths referred to are the first three ofthese. verse IS probably derived from the theg-chen rnal-'byor-la j"ug-pa, whIch has only recently become available. Refer to nn. 608, 896 below'
to Blue 1nnals, pp. 999-1001, for Aro Yeshe Jungne. '
follows the meaning of the Tibetan. For a detailed
dISCUSSIOn of the Indian origins of the term bodhisattva refer to A L
Basham's contribution to L. Kawamura (ed. ), The Bodh;'sauva in Culture.
In this classification of seven vows, the lay vows for men
(upasaka) and the lay vows for women (upiisikii) are combined so that
the generally known eight vows of the pratimoksa become seven. See
the quotation cited above on p. 226 from' the Treasury of the Abhidhanna.
meditative experiences on the path of connection, known as the feelmg of warmth (drod), its climax (rtse-mo), the feeling of receptive- (bzod) and the supreme phenomenon (chos-mchog) are explained m Longcenpa, Treasury ofSpiritual and Philosophical Systems, pp. 142-
ten and all things to be renounced.
18 Notes
attributes to ripen. The four are known as the vase empowerment (bum-dbang), the secret empowerment (gsang-dbang), the empower- ment of discriminating pristine cognition (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang) and the empowerment of word and meaning (tshig-don-gi dbang); see also below, p. 360. Among them, the third empowerment reveals the secret appearance of the deity and emphasises meditation on the per- fection stage, leading to the eventual realisation of the body of reality through union with the <;HikinI, embodiment of emptiness.
239 During empowerment, when creatively visualised as the deity, the meditator is known as the Being of Commitment (dam-tshig sems-dpa', Skt. samayasattva). Subsequently, the entry of the actual deity into this Being of Commitment is referred to as the "descent of the Being of Pristine Cognition" (ye-shes sems-dpa'i dbab-pa, Skt. jfianasattva- patana). This is also known as the "irresistible descent of pristine cognition" (ye-shes btsan-thabs-su dbab-pa).
240 These seven aspects of spiritual wealth according to ultimate truth are therefore the ultimate truth ofthe expanse, the ultimate truth ofpristine cognition, and the ultimate truth of original natural cessation which has five aspects corresponding to the buddha-body, speech, mind, enlightened attributes and activities.
241 It is said that the gods perceive water as nectar, humans and animals perceive it as a drink, tormented spirits perceive it as pus and blood, and the denizens of hell see it as molten lava, whereas the buddhas perceive it as the divine consort MamakI.
242 Tib. 'gyur ma-yin. Our text reads 'gyur-ba-yin; refer to the Peking Tangyur: rgyud-'grel, Vol. 81, p. 297. 4. l.
243 It is the causal buddha-body of form (rgyu'i gzugs-sku) which is vis- ualised on the path, in contrast to the resultant buddha-body of form (,bras-bu'i gzugs-sku) described above, pp. 123ff.
244 The desired qualities (,dod-yon, Skt. kdmagu1Ja) are the pleasurable enjoyments of the five senses.
245 Tib. don-dam-du ni mnyam-rdzogs-la. Compare the alternative reading for this line on p. 245 above (i. e. don-dam-du ni dbyer-med-Ia).
246 The three mal)galas here refer to the view, commitment and conduct of secret mantra (Lama Sonam Topgyel).
247 See the quotation from Tantra of the Inconceivable Rali Cakrasamvara on p. 248 above. .
248 Each of the levels is simultaneously the renunciation of an obscuration and the application of an appropriate antidote. See the Glossary of Enumerations for the ten, eleven or sixteen levels.
249 The deity's seal which secures all appearances within the mandala of buddha-body is known as the great seal (phyag-rgya chen-po·, Skt. Mahamudra). See below, p. 258.
250 In order for all appearances to be secured by the great seal of the deity's form, a melting bliss is generated within the energy channels by the fusion and melting of the seed syllables E and v A ¥ , symbolising the coalescence of emptiness (E) and bliss (VA¥). It is said that this coalescence is a prerequisite for all buddhas who become enlightened. The co-emergent bliss (sahajasukha) is the transmuted sexual energy issuing from the pulse of the seminal point of desire within the central channel of the body. Through this transmutation the propensities
Fundamentals: Part Four 19
251 which lead to rebirth in sal11sara are reversed
Among these, medicinal pills extracted f .
essences promote longevity I rom herbal and mineral d h ' eye-save promotes su I . 0
an t e enchanted sword cuts throu h 0 pernorma VISIOn,
ment of "swift feet" refer t HO g obscuratIon. On the accomplish- 252 T b I a b '0 ' 0 lStory, p. 614.
253 ·t: - at I lung. <? ur text wrongly reads rlung for lung.
ese our attnbutes see Jamgoo K
mdzod, edn. , 2, pp. 61 ongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab
254 Concernmg the meditations on h
258 259
260
261
262 263
264 265
266 267
263
269 270
271
Tohis point is explained in the Glossar
kmds ofdesire. Refer also to H O Y of EnumeratIons under four
Th 0 lStory, p 413 ese SIX modes indicate the d 1· .
emptiness: also below, p. ua appearance of the deity out of
For the dIstmction between the hOh
and the lower gnostic mantras ri er secret mantra (gsang-sngags),
erations under three klond ,F ( g gags), see the Glossary of Enum- s OJ mantra
Syllables conjoined with s llables £; 0
ht e presence of the buddha-body of s 1 u means, see Longcenpa DO IF eo a ayoga path of
reality in the heart centre. 0
kIfJ . mtecontextofth Mh-
p. 455 (GGFTC p 1010). 'd Darkness m the Ten Directions o 0 ' . , an mt eCOntext fA0 , I? Id. , pp. 463ff. (GGFTC, pp. 1022ff) On th 0 meditation,
SIOns of the seed-sylJables in the bod· h o e poure Impure expres- or sarpsara, see the same source y w Ich gIve nse to buddhahood
255 For the tradition of the Zur fa 256 Tib b o.
'oIPP. 1}2ff. pp. 552ff. ) mIy,relertoHIStory pp 61749
. 'Ya-mm lIterally means" K Ubhayatantra. non-
-" n y a ,
,. -.
I. e. the Caryatantra or
k 0 0
sgra, p. 52. gags- YI sPYI-don tshangs-dbyangs 'brug-
See n. 1380 below.
257 Quoted by Longcenpa in his sn
Hundred-Syllable Mantra dtV 0
Th c:
ese lour yogas are generall
bzhi). Refer to p. 356 below Y See p. 255, n. 249. .
orm chams such as the
aJrasattva (ylg-brgya) kn
p am mpoche, spyi-don 'od-gsal
t. ma $Ika. ThIS IS a specific kind f .
employed as a catalyst for the tra 0 wh! ch is reputedly
to Mipham Rinpoche, spyi-don of Iron mto gold. Refer
The upper and lower do r g sny'mg-po, pp. 48-9. ors reler respect! I h h 0
and the secret or sexual centre e°th
one's partner. See also Long 1 er om s own body or in that of rections, pp. 453ff. (GGFTC pa, Dlspellmg Darkness in the Ten Di-
erations under six centres and Glossary of Enum-
These occur during the 0 g t e upper door of the body.
Refer to the GI [practIce of the inner heat (gtum-mo). o ossary0 Enumeto d
se:Z;lce and attainment. ra Ions un er four branches of ritual
! lb. rin-po-che kaustubha accordin to M O o
od-gsal snying-po, pp 48-9 0 r g Ipham Rmpoche, spyi-don
0
0
. .
own as the four mIracles (cho-'phrul
For the historical background to th
means for attainment the sddh elongm of these tantras and their
pp. 458-83. '
Tib. mnyam-gnyis. Refer, e g
00
ana c asses of Mahayoga, see History, to Mi h R·
snying-po pp. 99-100 0 . . ,
Sk -k' 0 0 o· ur text reads mnyam-nyid
0
0
ytote Ighercentres
. , IS app led to the base metal which extracts
0
20 Notes
gold. In claSSIcal my. tfe churning ofthe primeval ocean.
288 For the path of great desire, refer to the discussion on the necessity of the empowerment into this path on p. 152.
289 This refinement ends the cycle of rebirth in sarpsara.
290 srog-chen-po'i rlung is a synonym for egotism and ignorance. Tib. srog- chags, which means living creatures or insects in this context, is a code
standing for the "vital energy of great life-breath".
291 These rites of sexual union (sbyor) and "liberation" (sgroI) are referred to in History, pp. 617-49 and 660-70. For a detailed discussion, refer to Longcenpa, Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions, pp. 386-402 (GGFTC, pp. 899-922). For their abuse during the tenth century, refer to R. A. Stein, Tibetan Civilization, pp. 71-2; and S. G.
Karmay, "The Ordinance of Lha Bla-ma Ye-shes 'od" in TSHR, pp. 150-62. Here "liberation" means the forceful removal of consciousness from
the body of another and its transference to a higher level of rebirth. 292 Tib. mi-nag mdung-thung-can bsod-pa. In a previous life, Sakyamuni Buddha "liberated" an assailant who almost murdered five hundred merchants, in order to release him from rebirth in the hells. See Peltriil Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, p. 125, and the theg-chen
gsang-ba chen-po thabs-la mkhas-pa'i mdo referred to in that text.
293 Tib. ded-dpon-gyi bu-mo-la bsgrod-pa. This is an incident recounted in Peltriil Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, pp. 125-6, which describes the compassionate association of Karma, a celibate young
brahman, with a brahman girl.
294 The text here reads nye-ba'i rnal-'byor, i. e. Upayoga, the "approximate
yoga".
295 Tib. mtshan-ma yod-med refers to the symbolic and non-symbolic
methods of meditation which correspond respectively to the relative
and ultimate truths.
296 I. e. Nagarjuna and Asanga.
297 These are the Unsurpassed tantras according to the new translation
schools. See Lessing and Wayman, Mkhas Grub Rje's Fundamentals
ofthe Buddhist Tantras, pp. 250ff.
298 The black outline (re-kha nag-po) is the form assumed by the central
channel as a mark of success in the practices of vital energy according to the Ktilacakra Tantra. Although all the pure appearances of the deities are reflected within it, the body of rainbow light cannot be obtained. Refer to Jamgon Kongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab mdzod, Vol. 4, p. 185.
299 Through the action seal (las-rgya, Skt. karmamudrti), the result of an awareness-holder of the desire realm is attained. It is the yoga pertain- ing to the sexual centre ofone's partner. The result ofan awareness-hol- der of the form realm is secured by the seal of pristine cognition (ye-shes-kyi phyag-rgya, Skt. jfitinamudrti).
300 Refer to p. 247, n. 238 above.
301 Refer to p. 288 for the path of desire (chags-lam).
302 The vajra and bell are ritual implements which respectively symbolise
skilful means and discriminative awareness.
303 I. e. the non-Buddhist schools and systems.
304 Tib. thig-le chen-po is a synonym for the buddha-body of reality. See
the Index of Technical Terms under seminal point.
305 Tib. mi-'jig-pa. The text wrongly reads mi-'jigs-pa. Compare the same
273
274 275
276
faculties at death. 'd k . 1 ) . the form assumed by consciousness The body - yl us (chos-nyid bar-do) and the inter- during the /do i. e. after death and before mediate state of rebIrth ( s ; pa Tibetan Book of the Dead,
rebirth. See W. Y. Evans- endtzC e The Tibetan Book of the pp. 85ff. ; or F. Fremantle a n · ,
Dead, 250 above.
On meltmg blIss (zhu-bde! , ni_'byor pho-mo) are peripheral in the
The male and female YOghms f the central or foremost divine mandala, and so form t e retmue 0
277
278 279
280 281 282
283 284
285 286
287
the eight classes of means for attamm: number of tantra texts, as lr
. . tholo Kaustubha is the name of gem, which the physical elements and the mental
272 Thisreferstot e ISSOu1
and the empowered awareness (dbang-
bsgyur ngs ,
refer to Longcenpa, passages in the literature of the 466 (GGFTC, pp. , '. N t however suggest "empowered Sequence ofthe Path ofthe See, e. g. , the Litany
family" as an alternattve ren _ - . ) 23-4 and Mafi- ,. r M -' / - (MafiJusnnamasamgltl , vv. ,
of the Names OJ anJusn. . R M translation of the jusrlmitra's comments as gIven m . .
textinMCB20 1),n. 62. . dharaisknownasthesixthregent
As explained above m n. 144, the spontaneous presence of the (rgyal-tshab drug-pa) because e IS .
d the five buddha-bodIes.
Eighteen Great
For a dISCussIon on thIS verse h' h has power over the life-span, . ) or that awareness w IC 361 3
. '
D rknessintheTenDirections,pp. -,
These eight classes each a A principle tantra of found in the Tantras 0 bka'-'gyur),T838-44and439.
( . Mother Tantra, see Jamgon For the classIficatIon of Ka aca ra as 1 3 232
"1 h byakun-khyabmdzod,Vo. ,p. . . f h Kongtru , s es-_ h' h Gathers All Intentions is the exegesIs 0 t e The General Sutra w lC
Root Tantra of All-Gathering . Tib. kara is a corrupt form of akara, meamng
"source". The consort.
source ofall display (r? l-pa'i kfaMra) 163-4; and These include the aXIoms 0 a y
the axioms of Mahayoga, 'n accordance with the Peking Tib. gzhag-nas. Our text rea s;z reading is cited below on
Kangyur, Vol. 9. However, t e pre p. 368. . . h
t requiring the gradual creation of the visualisation as in Mahayoga. k to Anuyoga correspond
I. e. in an immedIate manner _WIt ou
The following ten levels five p'aths Pt 3 Refer also to the to those of the causal vehIcles discusse m . .
Glossary of Enumerations. d h th of meditation he receives
When a bodhisattva has advance ondtdehPa. which the time and cir- . d 1 . fromthebu asm
the life of Tsangtonpa m Hzstory, pp. 691
a prophetic ec b ddhahood are revealed. See, e. g. , cumstances for hIS u -3
.
Fundamentals: Part Four 21
22 Notes
to . the antigods, the heart centre to human beings, the navel centre to alllmals, secret centre to tormented spirits and the soles of the feet to the of the hot and cold hells. Through these practices of the perfectIon stage (rdzogs-rim), the vital energy and mind remain in these centres, sarpsara is not transcended, and rebirth consequently occurs.
Whereas in the perfection stage the vital energy and mind remain in the after entering from the left and right channels in the form of the whne and. red seminal points and releasing the knots in the channel, m Realisation this purification is not reqmred because of pristine cognition naturally causes channels to valllsh mto lIght. According to Longcenpa, Wish-fulfil- lmg 851 are twenty-one knots altogether, twenty o. f whIch are dIVIded mto paIrs corresponding to their location in the nght and left Their vanishing in ten pairs also corresponds to the renunCIatIOn and realisation of the ten levels.
These appearances of the hundred buddha-fields and con- templa. tIOns correspond the realisation of the first level, through the of the first paIr of knotted channels into light.
ThIS belongs to the Great Perfection endowed with Conch-Syllables (dung-yzg-can) from the Innermost Spirituality of Vimalamitra, Pt. 2 Vol. Cha, pp. 1-159. ' The of. Zurcungpa Sherap-tra and his son Dropukpa are presented m the HIStory, pp. 635-49. For the four "pillars", see pp. 640ff. The source for the material found in the recapitulations of this and the is DharmasrI, gsang-bdag zhal-lung. I. e. the Knyatantra whIch realIses the three enlightened families and which realises the five enlightened families are here Said to be eqmvalent to the common vehicles of the bodhisattvas and so forth because their realisation is incomplete.
Refer to History, p. 701. History, p. 653.
History, pp. 667-8. History, pp. 666-7.
Tib. ye-shes yon-tan kun-rdzob Zhao Compare the identical passage cited on p: 270. Here, our text gives ye-shes bzhi-yon kun-rdzob Zha m conformny with the Peking Tangyur (P 3736), Vol. 83, p. 106. 4. 2. The and Khenpo Palden Sherap prefer the former reading. For a detaIled of . these and the empowerments, to Longcenpa, Dzspellmg Darkness in the Ten Directions, pp. 370-9, (GGFTC, pp. 369-81); and to Jamgon Kongtrtil, shes-bya kun-khyab ,"! ,dzod, Vol. 2, pp. 656-82, 737-9. See also the Glossary of Enumera- tIons under fifteen ordinary sacraments (of empowerment). The water and crown eI? powermen. ts employ their appropriate symbolic imple- ment. s. to punfy respectively into the mirror-like pristine cogllltIOn and the pnstme cognition of sameness.
These sublime, and appearances are purified when they are seen respectIvely as ManJusrI who is sublime in discriminative who is gentle in compassion, and Vajrapani who m power. These are the Lords of the Three Enlightene'd FamIlIes (ngs-gsum mgon-po) which pertain to Kriyatantra, and on
306 307
308
309
in Theory and Practice, pp. 200-2. .
The "second stage which is the essence" refers to the perfectIon stage
(rdzogs-rim). The second stage of this second is known the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen) because the perfectIon stage can be enher symbolic (mtshan-yod rdzogs-rim) or non-symbolic (mtshan-med rim), and it is the latter which is referred to as the Great PerfectIon:
323
311
312
313
314
315
316 317
318 319
320
321 322
This interpretation follows the oral commentary of Lama Sonam Top-
quotation as cited on p. 181. . .
For an explanation of this verse, see Guenther, Buddhzst Phzlosophy
310
tomy.
324
325
326
327
328 329 330 331 332
333
334
Refer to the Glossary of Enumerations under ten levels. The first IS known as the Joyful (rab-tu dga'-ba, Skt. Pramuditii). The seventh is known as the Far-Reaching (ring-du song-ba, Skt. Diirangamii). The eighth and tenth levels are mentioned in nn. 116, 146 and 385.
The buddhas of the surpassed levels are those who have accomplished the respective realisations of the systems just .
I. e. the single essence is not obtained through the subject-object dIcho-
Tib. gti-mug ma-gsal cig. The same quotation cited on p. 899 of the History, reads gti-mug ma-bsam cig. Similarly the foll? wing re. ads rang-gi Ius-las gyen-du ma-bskyod cig, whereas the eqmvalent lme cned in the History reads rang-gi Ius-las gyen-du ma-spyod cig.
gyel.
These are spontaneous axioms which arise internally and replace the
lower axioms of Madhyamaka and Mahayoga which are contrived by the intellect.
The text readsyin-tu smra-ba, after the reading in Longcenpa, Treasury of Spiritual and Philosophical Systems, p. 337. An alternative suggested tentatively by Khenpo Palden Sherap would read "freely" (yan-tu) for
yin-tu. .
This and the subsequent divisions and cycles of the Esotenc Instruc- tional Class are indicated in terms of their essence (ngo-bo, i.
extremists, which is said to have twenty aspects. Mlpham Rm-
poche, grub-mtha'i mdzod bsdus-pa, p. 71; and S. CollIns, Selfless Per-
FUNDAMENTALS: PART FOUR
sons, pp. 118-19.
On Ngok Loden Sherap, refer to Blue Annals, pp. 328ff.
Tib. ma bral-bas. The text wrongly reads bral-bas. .
.
234 235
236 237
238
It is the bodhisattva vehicle, among the causal vehicles of dialectics which is also known as the vehicle of transcendental perfection. ' The unsurpassed vehicle of the tantras in general is here contrasted with the higher view of the tantras belonging to the vehicle of skilful
means. and suffering" (rnam-par byang-ba-dang sdug-bsngal) refer respectIvely to the last two and the first two sublime truths.
The mal). <;lala of seals (phyag-rgya'i dkyil-'khor) refers to the seals of the deity's body, speech and mind.
! he abi. ding nature of inconceivable reality is held to be vast because
contams manifold skilful means, and profound because it is essen- tIally discriminative awareness and emptiness.
Refer, e. g. , to ]amgon Kongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab mdzod, Vol. 2, pp. 656-82; and to. Mipham Rinpoche, spyi-don 'od-gsal snying-po, pp. 146-8. The vehIcle of indestructible reality employs a series of four empowerments which enable one's awareness of pure enlightened
The text ascribes this treatise to Nagarjuna, although m
ofthe Peking edn. , Vol. 83, p. 90, 5. 5, it clearly states that VImalamltra
entrusted it to Nyak Jfianakumara in Pheny? l. . .
The theory of atomism developed in the school was
sively rejected by the Vijfianavada, and by the
tika. See M. Kapstein "Mereological ConsIderatIons m Vasubandhu s
'Proof of Idealism'" in Reason's Traces. .
Refer to the Glossary of Enumerations under ezght vows of the
. fi" h
These are referred to in the Glossary of EnumeratIons under zve, ezg t,
. .
224 225
226 227
228
229
230
231
232
233
See below, p. 229.
This is a meditative experience occurring on the path of connection
See below, p. 236; also Longcenpa, Treasury ofSpin"tual and Phzlosophical Systems, pp. 142-6.
I. e. they are superior to the pious attendants.
Although the ignorance which gives rise to the three poisons is reversed by the buddhas, the subject is not yet realised to be empty of the three mterrelated aspects of ignorance. Refer to p. 54.
These first four paths are identical to the four paths oflearning outlined above p . . 175, namely, the paths of provision, connection, insight The three paths referred to are the first three ofthese. verse IS probably derived from the theg-chen rnal-'byor-la j"ug-pa, whIch has only recently become available. Refer to nn. 608, 896 below'
to Blue 1nnals, pp. 999-1001, for Aro Yeshe Jungne. '
follows the meaning of the Tibetan. For a detailed
dISCUSSIOn of the Indian origins of the term bodhisattva refer to A L
Basham's contribution to L. Kawamura (ed. ), The Bodh;'sauva in Culture.
In this classification of seven vows, the lay vows for men
(upasaka) and the lay vows for women (upiisikii) are combined so that
the generally known eight vows of the pratimoksa become seven. See
the quotation cited above on p. 226 from' the Treasury of the Abhidhanna.
meditative experiences on the path of connection, known as the feelmg of warmth (drod), its climax (rtse-mo), the feeling of receptive- (bzod) and the supreme phenomenon (chos-mchog) are explained m Longcenpa, Treasury ofSpiritual and Philosophical Systems, pp. 142-
ten and all things to be renounced.
18 Notes
attributes to ripen. The four are known as the vase empowerment (bum-dbang), the secret empowerment (gsang-dbang), the empower- ment of discriminating pristine cognition (shes-rab ye-shes-kyi dbang) and the empowerment of word and meaning (tshig-don-gi dbang); see also below, p. 360. Among them, the third empowerment reveals the secret appearance of the deity and emphasises meditation on the per- fection stage, leading to the eventual realisation of the body of reality through union with the <;HikinI, embodiment of emptiness.
239 During empowerment, when creatively visualised as the deity, the meditator is known as the Being of Commitment (dam-tshig sems-dpa', Skt. samayasattva). Subsequently, the entry of the actual deity into this Being of Commitment is referred to as the "descent of the Being of Pristine Cognition" (ye-shes sems-dpa'i dbab-pa, Skt. jfianasattva- patana). This is also known as the "irresistible descent of pristine cognition" (ye-shes btsan-thabs-su dbab-pa).
240 These seven aspects of spiritual wealth according to ultimate truth are therefore the ultimate truth ofthe expanse, the ultimate truth ofpristine cognition, and the ultimate truth of original natural cessation which has five aspects corresponding to the buddha-body, speech, mind, enlightened attributes and activities.
241 It is said that the gods perceive water as nectar, humans and animals perceive it as a drink, tormented spirits perceive it as pus and blood, and the denizens of hell see it as molten lava, whereas the buddhas perceive it as the divine consort MamakI.
242 Tib. 'gyur ma-yin. Our text reads 'gyur-ba-yin; refer to the Peking Tangyur: rgyud-'grel, Vol. 81, p. 297. 4. l.
243 It is the causal buddha-body of form (rgyu'i gzugs-sku) which is vis- ualised on the path, in contrast to the resultant buddha-body of form (,bras-bu'i gzugs-sku) described above, pp. 123ff.
244 The desired qualities (,dod-yon, Skt. kdmagu1Ja) are the pleasurable enjoyments of the five senses.
245 Tib. don-dam-du ni mnyam-rdzogs-la. Compare the alternative reading for this line on p. 245 above (i. e. don-dam-du ni dbyer-med-Ia).
246 The three mal)galas here refer to the view, commitment and conduct of secret mantra (Lama Sonam Topgyel).
247 See the quotation from Tantra of the Inconceivable Rali Cakrasamvara on p. 248 above. .
248 Each of the levels is simultaneously the renunciation of an obscuration and the application of an appropriate antidote. See the Glossary of Enumerations for the ten, eleven or sixteen levels.
249 The deity's seal which secures all appearances within the mandala of buddha-body is known as the great seal (phyag-rgya chen-po·, Skt. Mahamudra). See below, p. 258.
250 In order for all appearances to be secured by the great seal of the deity's form, a melting bliss is generated within the energy channels by the fusion and melting of the seed syllables E and v A ¥ , symbolising the coalescence of emptiness (E) and bliss (VA¥). It is said that this coalescence is a prerequisite for all buddhas who become enlightened. The co-emergent bliss (sahajasukha) is the transmuted sexual energy issuing from the pulse of the seminal point of desire within the central channel of the body. Through this transmutation the propensities
Fundamentals: Part Four 19
251 which lead to rebirth in sal11sara are reversed
Among these, medicinal pills extracted f .
essences promote longevity I rom herbal and mineral d h ' eye-save promotes su I . 0
an t e enchanted sword cuts throu h 0 pernorma VISIOn,
ment of "swift feet" refer t HO g obscuratIon. On the accomplish- 252 T b I a b '0 ' 0 lStory, p. 614.
253 ·t: - at I lung. <? ur text wrongly reads rlung for lung.
ese our attnbutes see Jamgoo K
mdzod, edn. , 2, pp. 61 ongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab
254 Concernmg the meditations on h
258 259
260
261
262 263
264 265
266 267
263
269 270
271
Tohis point is explained in the Glossar
kmds ofdesire. Refer also to H O Y of EnumeratIons under four
Th 0 lStory, p 413 ese SIX modes indicate the d 1· .
emptiness: also below, p. ua appearance of the deity out of
For the dIstmction between the hOh
and the lower gnostic mantras ri er secret mantra (gsang-sngags),
erations under three klond ,F ( g gags), see the Glossary of Enum- s OJ mantra
Syllables conjoined with s llables £; 0
ht e presence of the buddha-body of s 1 u means, see Longcenpa DO IF eo a ayoga path of
reality in the heart centre. 0
kIfJ . mtecontextofth Mh-
p. 455 (GGFTC p 1010). 'd Darkness m the Ten Directions o 0 ' . , an mt eCOntext fA0 , I? Id. , pp. 463ff. (GGFTC, pp. 1022ff) On th 0 meditation,
SIOns of the seed-sylJables in the bod· h o e poure Impure expres- or sarpsara, see the same source y w Ich gIve nse to buddhahood
255 For the tradition of the Zur fa 256 Tib b o.
'oIPP. 1}2ff. pp. 552ff. ) mIy,relertoHIStory pp 61749
. 'Ya-mm lIterally means" K Ubhayatantra. non-
-" n y a ,
,. -.
I. e. the Caryatantra or
k 0 0
sgra, p. 52. gags- YI sPYI-don tshangs-dbyangs 'brug-
See n. 1380 below.
257 Quoted by Longcenpa in his sn
Hundred-Syllable Mantra dtV 0
Th c:
ese lour yogas are generall
bzhi). Refer to p. 356 below Y See p. 255, n. 249. .
orm chams such as the
aJrasattva (ylg-brgya) kn
p am mpoche, spyi-don 'od-gsal
t. ma $Ika. ThIS IS a specific kind f .
employed as a catalyst for the tra 0 wh! ch is reputedly
to Mipham Rinpoche, spyi-don of Iron mto gold. Refer
The upper and lower do r g sny'mg-po, pp. 48-9. ors reler respect! I h h 0
and the secret or sexual centre e°th
one's partner. See also Long 1 er om s own body or in that of rections, pp. 453ff. (GGFTC pa, Dlspellmg Darkness in the Ten Di-
erations under six centres and Glossary of Enum-
These occur during the 0 g t e upper door of the body.
Refer to the GI [practIce of the inner heat (gtum-mo). o ossary0 Enumeto d
se:Z;lce and attainment. ra Ions un er four branches of ritual
! lb. rin-po-che kaustubha accordin to M O o
od-gsal snying-po, pp 48-9 0 r g Ipham Rmpoche, spyi-don
0
0
. .
own as the four mIracles (cho-'phrul
For the historical background to th
means for attainment the sddh elongm of these tantras and their
pp. 458-83. '
Tib. mnyam-gnyis. Refer, e g
00
ana c asses of Mahayoga, see History, to Mi h R·
snying-po pp. 99-100 0 . . ,
Sk -k' 0 0 o· ur text reads mnyam-nyid
0
0
ytote Ighercentres
. , IS app led to the base metal which extracts
0
20 Notes
gold. In claSSIcal my. tfe churning ofthe primeval ocean.
288 For the path of great desire, refer to the discussion on the necessity of the empowerment into this path on p. 152.
289 This refinement ends the cycle of rebirth in sarpsara.
290 srog-chen-po'i rlung is a synonym for egotism and ignorance. Tib. srog- chags, which means living creatures or insects in this context, is a code
standing for the "vital energy of great life-breath".
291 These rites of sexual union (sbyor) and "liberation" (sgroI) are referred to in History, pp. 617-49 and 660-70. For a detailed discussion, refer to Longcenpa, Dispelling Darkness in the Ten Directions, pp. 386-402 (GGFTC, pp. 899-922). For their abuse during the tenth century, refer to R. A. Stein, Tibetan Civilization, pp. 71-2; and S. G.
Karmay, "The Ordinance of Lha Bla-ma Ye-shes 'od" in TSHR, pp. 150-62. Here "liberation" means the forceful removal of consciousness from
the body of another and its transference to a higher level of rebirth. 292 Tib. mi-nag mdung-thung-can bsod-pa. In a previous life, Sakyamuni Buddha "liberated" an assailant who almost murdered five hundred merchants, in order to release him from rebirth in the hells. See Peltriil Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, p. 125, and the theg-chen
gsang-ba chen-po thabs-la mkhas-pa'i mdo referred to in that text.
293 Tib. ded-dpon-gyi bu-mo-la bsgrod-pa. This is an incident recounted in Peltriil Rinpoche, The Words of My Perfect Teacher, pp. 125-6, which describes the compassionate association of Karma, a celibate young
brahman, with a brahman girl.
294 The text here reads nye-ba'i rnal-'byor, i. e. Upayoga, the "approximate
yoga".
295 Tib. mtshan-ma yod-med refers to the symbolic and non-symbolic
methods of meditation which correspond respectively to the relative
and ultimate truths.
296 I. e. Nagarjuna and Asanga.
297 These are the Unsurpassed tantras according to the new translation
schools. See Lessing and Wayman, Mkhas Grub Rje's Fundamentals
ofthe Buddhist Tantras, pp. 250ff.
298 The black outline (re-kha nag-po) is the form assumed by the central
channel as a mark of success in the practices of vital energy according to the Ktilacakra Tantra. Although all the pure appearances of the deities are reflected within it, the body of rainbow light cannot be obtained. Refer to Jamgon Kongtriil, shes-bya kun-khyab mdzod, Vol. 4, p. 185.
299 Through the action seal (las-rgya, Skt. karmamudrti), the result of an awareness-holder of the desire realm is attained. It is the yoga pertain- ing to the sexual centre ofone's partner. The result ofan awareness-hol- der of the form realm is secured by the seal of pristine cognition (ye-shes-kyi phyag-rgya, Skt. jfitinamudrti).
300 Refer to p. 247, n. 238 above.
301 Refer to p. 288 for the path of desire (chags-lam).
302 The vajra and bell are ritual implements which respectively symbolise
skilful means and discriminative awareness.
303 I. e. the non-Buddhist schools and systems.
304 Tib. thig-le chen-po is a synonym for the buddha-body of reality. See
the Index of Technical Terms under seminal point.
305 Tib. mi-'jig-pa. The text wrongly reads mi-'jigs-pa. Compare the same
273
274 275
276
faculties at death. 'd k . 1 ) . the form assumed by consciousness The body - yl us (chos-nyid bar-do) and the inter- during the /do i. e. after death and before mediate state of rebIrth ( s ; pa Tibetan Book of the Dead,
rebirth. See W. Y. Evans- endtzC e The Tibetan Book of the pp. 85ff. ; or F. Fremantle a n · ,
Dead, 250 above.
On meltmg blIss (zhu-bde! , ni_'byor pho-mo) are peripheral in the
The male and female YOghms f the central or foremost divine mandala, and so form t e retmue 0
277
278 279
280 281 282
283 284
285 286
287
the eight classes of means for attamm: number of tantra texts, as lr
. . tholo Kaustubha is the name of gem, which the physical elements and the mental
272 Thisreferstot e ISSOu1
and the empowered awareness (dbang-
bsgyur ngs ,
refer to Longcenpa, passages in the literature of the 466 (GGFTC, pp. , '. N t however suggest "empowered Sequence ofthe Path ofthe See, e. g. , the Litany
family" as an alternattve ren _ - . ) 23-4 and Mafi- ,. r M -' / - (MafiJusnnamasamgltl , vv. ,
of the Names OJ anJusn. . R M translation of the jusrlmitra's comments as gIven m . .
textinMCB20 1),n. 62. . dharaisknownasthesixthregent
As explained above m n. 144, the spontaneous presence of the (rgyal-tshab drug-pa) because e IS .
d the five buddha-bodIes.
Eighteen Great
For a dISCussIon on thIS verse h' h has power over the life-span, . ) or that awareness w IC 361 3
. '
D rknessintheTenDirections,pp. -,
These eight classes each a A principle tantra of found in the Tantras 0 bka'-'gyur),T838-44and439.
( . Mother Tantra, see Jamgon For the classIficatIon of Ka aca ra as 1 3 232
"1 h byakun-khyabmdzod,Vo. ,p. . . f h Kongtru , s es-_ h' h Gathers All Intentions is the exegesIs 0 t e The General Sutra w lC
Root Tantra of All-Gathering . Tib. kara is a corrupt form of akara, meamng
"source". The consort.
source ofall display (r? l-pa'i kfaMra) 163-4; and These include the aXIoms 0 a y
the axioms of Mahayoga, 'n accordance with the Peking Tib. gzhag-nas. Our text rea s;z reading is cited below on
Kangyur, Vol. 9. However, t e pre p. 368. . . h
t requiring the gradual creation of the visualisation as in Mahayoga. k to Anuyoga correspond
I. e. in an immedIate manner _WIt ou
The following ten levels five p'aths Pt 3 Refer also to the to those of the causal vehIcles discusse m . .
Glossary of Enumerations. d h th of meditation he receives
When a bodhisattva has advance ondtdehPa. which the time and cir- . d 1 . fromthebu asm
the life of Tsangtonpa m Hzstory, pp. 691
a prophetic ec b ddhahood are revealed. See, e. g. , cumstances for hIS u -3
.
Fundamentals: Part Four 21
22 Notes
to . the antigods, the heart centre to human beings, the navel centre to alllmals, secret centre to tormented spirits and the soles of the feet to the of the hot and cold hells. Through these practices of the perfectIon stage (rdzogs-rim), the vital energy and mind remain in these centres, sarpsara is not transcended, and rebirth consequently occurs.
Whereas in the perfection stage the vital energy and mind remain in the after entering from the left and right channels in the form of the whne and. red seminal points and releasing the knots in the channel, m Realisation this purification is not reqmred because of pristine cognition naturally causes channels to valllsh mto lIght. According to Longcenpa, Wish-fulfil- lmg 851 are twenty-one knots altogether, twenty o. f whIch are dIVIded mto paIrs corresponding to their location in the nght and left Their vanishing in ten pairs also corresponds to the renunCIatIOn and realisation of the ten levels.
These appearances of the hundred buddha-fields and con- templa. tIOns correspond the realisation of the first level, through the of the first paIr of knotted channels into light.
ThIS belongs to the Great Perfection endowed with Conch-Syllables (dung-yzg-can) from the Innermost Spirituality of Vimalamitra, Pt. 2 Vol. Cha, pp. 1-159. ' The of. Zurcungpa Sherap-tra and his son Dropukpa are presented m the HIStory, pp. 635-49. For the four "pillars", see pp. 640ff. The source for the material found in the recapitulations of this and the is DharmasrI, gsang-bdag zhal-lung. I. e. the Knyatantra whIch realIses the three enlightened families and which realises the five enlightened families are here Said to be eqmvalent to the common vehicles of the bodhisattvas and so forth because their realisation is incomplete.
Refer to History, p. 701. History, p. 653.
History, pp. 667-8. History, pp. 666-7.
Tib. ye-shes yon-tan kun-rdzob Zhao Compare the identical passage cited on p: 270. Here, our text gives ye-shes bzhi-yon kun-rdzob Zha m conformny with the Peking Tangyur (P 3736), Vol. 83, p. 106. 4. 2. The and Khenpo Palden Sherap prefer the former reading. For a detaIled of . these and the empowerments, to Longcenpa, Dzspellmg Darkness in the Ten Directions, pp. 370-9, (GGFTC, pp. 369-81); and to Jamgon Kongtrtil, shes-bya kun-khyab ,"! ,dzod, Vol. 2, pp. 656-82, 737-9. See also the Glossary of Enumera- tIons under fifteen ordinary sacraments (of empowerment). The water and crown eI? powermen. ts employ their appropriate symbolic imple- ment. s. to punfy respectively into the mirror-like pristine cogllltIOn and the pnstme cognition of sameness.
These sublime, and appearances are purified when they are seen respectIvely as ManJusrI who is sublime in discriminative who is gentle in compassion, and Vajrapani who m power. These are the Lords of the Three Enlightene'd FamIlIes (ngs-gsum mgon-po) which pertain to Kriyatantra, and on
306 307
308
309
in Theory and Practice, pp. 200-2. .
The "second stage which is the essence" refers to the perfectIon stage
(rdzogs-rim). The second stage of this second is known the Great Perfection (rdzogs-chen) because the perfectIon stage can be enher symbolic (mtshan-yod rdzogs-rim) or non-symbolic (mtshan-med rim), and it is the latter which is referred to as the Great PerfectIon:
323
311
312
313
314
315
316 317
318 319
320
321 322
This interpretation follows the oral commentary of Lama Sonam Top-
quotation as cited on p. 181. . .
For an explanation of this verse, see Guenther, Buddhzst Phzlosophy
310
tomy.
324
325
326
327
328 329 330 331 332
333
334
Refer to the Glossary of Enumerations under ten levels. The first IS known as the Joyful (rab-tu dga'-ba, Skt. Pramuditii). The seventh is known as the Far-Reaching (ring-du song-ba, Skt. Diirangamii). The eighth and tenth levels are mentioned in nn. 116, 146 and 385.
The buddhas of the surpassed levels are those who have accomplished the respective realisations of the systems just .
I. e. the single essence is not obtained through the subject-object dIcho-
Tib. gti-mug ma-gsal cig. The same quotation cited on p. 899 of the History, reads gti-mug ma-bsam cig. Similarly the foll? wing re. ads rang-gi Ius-las gyen-du ma-bskyod cig, whereas the eqmvalent lme cned in the History reads rang-gi Ius-las gyen-du ma-spyod cig.
gyel.
These are spontaneous axioms which arise internally and replace the
lower axioms of Madhyamaka and Mahayoga which are contrived by the intellect.
The text readsyin-tu smra-ba, after the reading in Longcenpa, Treasury of Spiritual and Philosophical Systems, p. 337. An alternative suggested tentatively by Khenpo Palden Sherap would read "freely" (yan-tu) for
yin-tu. .
This and the subsequent divisions and cycles of the Esotenc Instruc- tional Class are indicated in terms of their essence (ngo-bo, i.
